The shown use cases in this section use single media types (e.g. LIBCAPS_PT_SINGLE), e.g. each medium has a fixed size and orientation. This covers the most available printers in the universe.

Note: In contrast there is also support for continuous media types (e.g. LIBCAPS_PT_ENDLESS). For example label printer often make use of such continuous media types. Their size and orientation isn't fixed and need a different setup. See Special Document Content Adaptions to variable Media.

Document matches the print media in size and orientation

This is the simplest use case: if the intended print size of your document fits the available print media loaded in your printer it is easy: just print it.

Printing an A4 portrait document on an A4 portrait medium is straight forward

Label printers support non-standard media formats, but as long as they use fixed size media it works the same here.

Printing a landscape label document on a landscape label is straight forward

Document matches the print media in size, but not its orientation

This is a different simple use case: if the intended print size of your document fits the available print media loaded, but only the orientation differs, the document gets rotated and than print. This rotation is enabled by default if not otherwise overwritten.

Printing an A4 landscape document on an A4 portrait medium with (auto) rotation

Label printers support non-standard media formats, but as long as they use fixed size media it works the same here.

Printing a landscape label document on a portrait label with (auto) rotation

Document matches the print media orientation, but is smaller than the print media

default is to keep the size accuracy
the document gets printed centered on the available medium

Printing an A5 portrait document on an A4 portrait medium

Document has a different orientation and is smaller than the print media

default is to keep the size accuracy
the document content gets rotated and printed centered on the available medium

Printing an A5 landscape document on an A4 portrait medium

Document matches the print media orientation, but is larger than the print media

default is to keep the size accuracy
a centered area of the size of the print medium is cropped from the document
parts outside this document area are discarded

Printing an A3 portrait document on an A4 portrait medium

Document has a different orientation and is larger than the print media

default is to keep the size accuracy
a centered area of the size of the print medium is cropped from the document
parts outside this document area are discarded
the document area gets rotated and printed centered on the available medium

Printing an A3 landscape document on an A4 portrait medium

Developer's Corner

The default settings for each print job are made in job_printing_defaults_init().